Jairam Ramesh Questions Captive Elephant Rules 2024

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has raised concerns about the Captive Elephant (Transport or Transfer) Rules 2024, arguing they fail to prevent wild capture and the commercial trade of elephants. In a letter to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, Ramesh highlighted ambiguities in the Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2022, that could allow misuse of elephant transfers.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday expressed serious concerns over the Captive Elephant (Transport or Transfer) Rules 2024. In a detailed letter to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, Ramesh pointed out that the new rules do not effectively curb the capture and trade of wild elephants.

Ramesh criticized the Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2022, for allowing non-commercial transfers of elephants for ''any other purpose,'' a phrase he argued is vague and open to misuse. He urged Yadav to reconsider the rules given the unresolved ambiguities and feedback from animal welfare organizations.

Citing recent examples of questionable elephant transfers from Arunachal Pradesh to Kerala, Odisha, and Gujarat, Ramesh emphasized the urgent need for clear regulations to prevent exploitation. He reminded Yadav of his prior commitments to address these issues, highlighting the national importance of protecting India's heritage animal.

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